Wasp seen as solution to invasive stink bug

Photo courtesy of Oregon Department of Agriculture
A parasitic wasp that originates in the stink bu

A parastic wasp may be an effective weapon against the brown marmorated stink bug, an invasive species that poses a threat to Northwest crops.

Researchers are optimistic about the prospects of using a natural enemy to suppress the brown marmorated stink bug, an invasive species.

A parasitic wasp that originates in the stink bug’s Asian homeland, Trissolcus japonicus, could be a valuable weapon against the pest, said Barry Bai, entomologist with the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

“So far, they show good potential because they prefer the target host,” Bai said during the recent Pacific Northwest Pest Management Conference in Portland, Ore.

Brown marmorated stink bugs were first discovered in Oregon a decade ago.

Although economic damage from the pest has not yet been recorded in Oregon, the insect has caused severe destruction elsewhere and poses a threat to fruit, vegetable, hazelnut and ornamental crops in the state.